A Coat of Gold
by wilji1090
Summary: The Westerlands have been transported to a foreign land, whether by the Seven or some foul sorcery. The question is; of course, can the Lion deal with the Avatar? For better or worse, Casterly Rock must deal with the consequences of the new world that they find themselves in.
1. Lady of Zaofu

**01\. The Lady of Zaofu**

Ba Sing Se was abuzz with more activity than Suyin Beifong could ever remember, though her time in the city could be counted on one hand. She had greatly detested the capital of the Earth Kingdom for a variety of reasons, the least of which came in the form of the Dai Li. Still, one did not reject a summons from the Earth Queen and expect to remain in good health for long. Marching onward, she walked up the steps of the gaudy palace with a sense of apprehension about her. Hou-Ting was not known for any sense of restraint, if rumors were to be believed, she had eaten her father's bear simply to satisfy a taste for exotic meat. Then of course came the rumors from the common people within Ba Sing Se, rumors of a rebellion in the west, or perhaps rumors of another Fire Nation invasion? Suyin couldn't be entirely sure, but the latter was a ludicrous suggestion: Izumi was by no means a return of Sozin, Azulon, or Ozai.

Walking into the Royal Palace, she stood in the foyer waiting for the Grand Secretariat to come retrieve her. Decorum was paramount in Ba Sing Se, Hou-Ting greatly detested any breach of decorum or disrespect, real or imagined and Suyin was eager to be out of the capital with her head still attached. That she would be summoned by the Earth Queen had confused her immensely, something had to have been terribly wrong for Hou-Ting to intrude upon Zaofu's relative autonomy from the Earth Kingdom, even though it was still considered a province of the Kingdom. She steeled herself when the robed figure of Grand Secretariat Gun walked into the foyer and nodded, Suyin walked into the throne room and promptly fell to one knee in deference to the Queen who sat upon it.

"Lady Beifong, you have answered my summons." Hou-Ting drawled, "Do get up, we have a rather pressing issue!"

Suyin stood up and observed a map of the Earth Kingdom surrounded by military officials. Raising an eyebrow, she had also made note of the young man standing beside Hou-Ting. Prince Wu may have been Hou-Ting's great nephew; however, some considered him to be the Earth Queen's heir in some regards. Suyin sighed, "I see that we are facing a dire crisis if Your Majesty is considering military action, as well as the presence of Prince Wu." She stated evenly.

"It's awful!" Wu exclaimed in utter terror, "Some upstart has raised arms of rebellion against Her Majesty in the Great Swamp!"

Suyin shook her head and frowned, "Prince Wu, surely you recall that the Great Swamp is sparsely populated?" She asked, "Could it be something as simple as bandits?" It was difficult to conceive a notion that the swamps would raise up arms against the Earth Queen.

Yet, Hou-Ting's scowl had only grown more severe, "It is not mere bandits!" She growled, "These are hooligans who dare to call another their monarch!" She exclaimed, "There have even been reports of castles, towns, and plowed fields being erected overnight! Even troops have been amassed at their lands to defend it!"

Suyin barely suppressed an urge to roll her eyes, "Surely…" She began only to pause; trying to find the right words, "Surely Her Majesty is well informed to know _when_ castles are being built upon her lands?" Suyin prayed to the spirits above that her words would hold some sway. "It isn't as if they've simply… _appeared_ have they?"

Prince Wu seemed to have composed himself as he stepped forward and presented Suyin with a letter, "A man came yesterday and presented us with this letter. It bore a seal of what looked like an armadillo lion, just… without the shell." Wu began, "The man claimed to have been an emissary of their lord, Tywin of House Lannister."

Suyin took the letter and made note of the broken wax seal, the prince was right, the animal did resemble an armadillo lion to a degree.

 _To Hou-Ting, Queen of the Earth Kingdom_

 _I, Tywin Lannister, greet Your Grace on behalf of the House Lannister and the Westerlands and on behalf of King Joffrey of the Houses Baratheon and Lannister, First of His Name, King of the Andals and the First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms, and Protector of the Realm. Though we know not of the Earth Kingdom, many travelers that we have questioned assure us of her greatness, it is through this questioning that we have concluded that you likely have not heard of the Seven Kingdoms, though the Westerlands can attest to a portion of their greatness. How we have come to find ourselves in this new world of strange peoples and places unknown has puzzled many of our learned men; however, we have determined that the whole of the Westerlands has found itself in this new land. Though we would wish for peace, take note that the sigil of House Lannister is the lion and like the lion we have claws and those who would threaten us shall feel them. I write to request an envoy of the Earth Kingdom be sent in order to guarantee safe passage of my son to your city of Ba Sing Se in order to establish formal relations. The man that I sent to carry this letter has with him a raven which can return your immediate response to me so that I can alert my sworn lords and their knights of your envoy's approach and ensure that they are afforded the proper courtesies. I hope that this is the beginning of a long and prosperous relationship._

 _Hear Me Roar,  
_ _Lord Tywin Lannister, Lord Paramount of the Westerlands_

Suyin blinked in surprise, she had to admire this lord's tone. One did not speak idly about their strength and not be able to support their claim. She shook her head, of course as the man had admitted: He knew not of the Earth Kingdom and likely did not understand the concept of bending.

The captain of the Dai Li stepped forward, "An entire land being transported?" He exclaimed, "This lord exaggerates! An entire land being transported, surely this Tywin has had more than his fill of cactus juice!"

"You should look to the story behind Kyoshi Island, Captain Hao." Suyin said rolling her eyes at the Dai Li captain, "Avatar Kyoshi had separated her home from the mainland when Chin the Conqueror had tried to conquer the Earth Kingdom."

Wu nodded, "I'd say that sending an envoy would not be unreasonable." He caught the annoyed glare of Hou-Ting, "N-not that I'm being permissive of these rebels, but it would provide an opportunity to understand what enemies we face!" He exclaimed rather quickly.

Hou-Ting massaged her temples before sighing, "Suyin, what advice do you have…?" She asked.

' _Now this is a surprise… what game are you playing…?_ ' Suyin thought as she paced in front of the throne, "Your Majesty, I would agree with Prince Wu on this matter." The metalbender began, "Though I do not believe that these are mere rebels. By the Lord's tone these Westerlands seem to be just as confused as we are." Suyin then smiled, "And if possible, Your Majesty could always stand to gain from having more allies, as this lord has said… the people have assured them of the Earth Kingdom's greatness."

Hou-Ting tapped her fingers upon the arm of her throne before giving a serene smile, "Very well… Lady Suyin, you and Prince Wu shall go and treat with this Lord Tywin. Determine his intentions; however, I do not have the men to spare for this journey."

"No matter, Your Majesty," Suyin replied, "Zaofu will provide the escort needed. Prince Wu is in the capable care of my guards. By your leave, of course."

Hou-Ting nodded, "Granted."

With a bow, Suyin marched out of the throne room and upon the doors closing, she let out an exasperated sigh. How it was that her mother had dealt with such nonsense in her life, she never knew. Still, these newcomers unnerved her greatly, ' _What kind of man is this Lord Tywin…?_ ' She thought grimly. ' _Hear Me Roar…_ ' Such a simple phrase sparked many thoughts within the Lady of Zaofu, none of them were pleasant.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note:**_ _Inspired by "Hear Me Roar" by_ _Willywalkerstrikesagain, I wanted to take the Westerlands and place them in the world of Avatar. Yes, the Westerlands might very well get their guts stomped out in an all-out war; however, that would only be the fear if Joffrey was truly running the show. As we all know, Tywin Lannister is the most powerful man in Westeros._

 _The whole of the Westerlands including Tyrion, Bronn, Shagga, and the Mountain Clans have all made the journey to the new land. The characters actively resemble their TV show selves; however, certain elements of their novel counterparts will also be apparent such as the Tarbecks rebelling alongside the Reynes or the unfortunate events with Tysha. In terms of timeline, the Westerlands have already been mobilized due to Catelyn kidnapping Tyrion and the War of the Five Kings had just started._

 _For the Avatar world, the Event has occurred just a few scant months before Korra leaves the White Lotus compound._

 _I chose an area that, geographically, allows the Westerlands to make trade with the Earth Kingdom, United Republic of Nations, and Fire Nation, though it should be observed that they may also come into contact with the Water Tribes as well._


	2. The Old Lion

**02\. The Old Lion**

Tywin Lannister overlooked the ramparts of the Golden Tooth to the encamped army below. Two weeks had passed and no orders had been given, the men were growing restless. Tywin had always believed in decisive actions; however, this… this defied all logical explanation. They had awaited the march of Robb Stark, the so-called King in the North as he now called himself; however, no bannermen of the North had come. Indeed, the skies themselves had turned from a crisp morning blue to the blood red of the setting sun. He could not commit his bannermen to march against the unknown. Looking out into the dense thicket of trees, he could not help but wonder just what had happened to Westeros.

Evidently his expression was obvious as he heard the sound of someone clearing their throat, "You seem troubled, father." The voice of his favored son, Jaime called out. Ever since the event that took place two weeks prior, Tywin could not help but feel that the gods were playing some trick upon him. That Jaime would find himself in the Golden Tooth had to be a trick of the gods. The Old Lion's eyes darted passed his son and spotted a much smaller figure. Cold contempt radiated from his body, of course the gods were not so kind as to deny him the presence of his degenerate, dwarven son Tyrion.

"It would appear that the Rock has been abuzz with good news, Father." Tyrion chimed in, "It would appear that whatever happened to the Westerlands has also seen fit to bring our dear sister and her children, including the King." Tywin eyed the little imp with some regard, it was a relief to hear some good news for a change, "Additionally, word from Lannisport is that most of our merchants, even those as far as Asshai, have found themselves brought back as well."

"Tyrion… perhaps, I should tell him…?" Jaime offered. Tywin raised an eyebrow as he stared expectantly at the dwarf.

"It would also appear that the _Laughing Lion_ has also washed up on a beach outside of the city." Tyrion muttered miserably, "The maesters believe that the body within is Uncle Gerion…" Tywin had, of course, long suspected his fool of a brother's passing. Tyrion's misery was understandable as the fool had taken quite a liking to the dwarf.

Tywin clasped his hands behind his back and frowned. After a moment's pause, he stepped to the ramparts to overlook the encampment, "We cannot keep the men under arms indefinitely." He began as he glanced back at his sons, "I've sent Ser Brax and a few men to the East to find the queen of this Earth Kingdom. We would do better to understand if we've merely traded one set of enemies for another."

"Ser Robert?" Tyrion hummed in thought, "Wise choice, coolheaded enough to avoid a scandal with these newcomers." Tywin rolled his eyes, "I was half worried that Clegane or Lorch would be sent. The last thing we need to hear is how a farmer's daughter was raped or a soldier was assaulted."

Tywin sighed, "A smith requires different tools to ply his trade, so to must a Lord Paramount make use of a variety of vassals for the same end." He looked at Jaime, "Take note of this, as we are no longer in Westeros, I believe we can consider you released from your vows. At least if we cannot find a way to bring the Westerlands back to Westeros."

Jaime looked appalled though Tywin looked indifferent to his son's outrage, "Father, the King is still with us. Surely…"

"Joffrey is now king of nothing but the Westerlands. You would serve him better as future lord paramount than as a glorified bodyguard." The corners of his lips twitched. It was only fair, if he was to be taken from the rest of Westeros, then he would have his son back regardless of what the gods thought. "Though our enemies are gone, several of the farmers and traders we have questioned have spoken of a devastating war that lasted for over a hundred years. Apparently a so-called Fire Nation waged the war only to be beaten back by someone called the Avatar."

Tyrion furrowed his brow, "I've spoken with one of the traders about the war." He spoke suddenly, "The man claimed that the people of the Earth Kingdom could manipulate the very ground itself. The Fire Nation allegedly commanded the flames themselves," He snorted in amusement, "Something tells me that King Aerys would've loved to make their acquaintance." The Old Lion merely glared at his son, "My apologies, Father. In any case, the Avatar you mentioned, they referred to him as Avatar Aang. Apparently he had died some seventeen years ago. These people believe that the Avatar is reborn when the old one dies."

Tywin chuckled, it was difficult to imagine a world full of sorcerers and the like even if the events of the past two weeks had shaken them. "Tyrion, I would hope that with all of the reading that you do, you would be more educated on such matters." Amusement twinkled in the Old Lion's eyes, "Surely these are merely flights of fancy. You do recall what they said about Robb Stark?"

Tyrion's lips were thin as he struggled not to say what was on his mind, "Indeed, Father…Robb Stark clearly could not become a beast." He strained, "Yet… I've heard the manner with which they regard the Avatar. They regard the Avatar much like how we venerate the Father or the Mother."

"Tyrion, men tell lies, terrible lies to suit their own ends." Tywin's voice rose, his amusement now gone, "Surely you've heard the convenient _lie_ that Stannis Baratheon has spread of your sister and brother!" The Old Lion snarled angrily, "I'll hear no more of this. Tyrion, you are possessed of a certain low cunning, but you should learn to apply it more carefully. Do not believe every legend and rumor you hear, it will not serve you well."

The tense air was quickly broken when a man from the low keep ran up the stairs, "Lord Tywin!" He exclaimed breathing heavily, "Ser Brax's raven has returned!" He presented the Old Lion with a letter emblazoned with an odd circle bearing a square hole in the center. "It had this attached to its leg."

Tywin took the letter before he looked at the man, "Leave us." With privacy restored among the Lannisters, Tywin stared at the sealed letter with a sense of trepidation. The contents of the letter meant either peace or war. Boldness gripped him as he ripped off the seal and began to read.

 _To Lord Tywin Lannister of the Westerlands,_

 _Greetings on behalf of the city of Ba Sing Se, I Hou-Ting, Queen of the Earth Kingdom do hereby accept your offer. My most trusted governor, Suyin Beifong of Zaofu, has arranged to travel to your Westerlands to treat with you. Currently, she is in the company of your Ser Brax as well as her own company of twenty men and women, she travels by airship with all haste. While Ba Sing Se has no desire for war, it must be taken into account that the Westerlands border lands sworn to the Earth Kingdom since its founding. Long have we endured threats from the Fire Nation and if need be we can deploy Earthbenders to defend against the Westerlands as well. Please treat Lady Beifong with all courtesies due. As with yourself, I hope that this is the beginning of a prosperous relationship._

 _Queen Hou-Ting of the Earth Kingdom_

Tywin handed the letter to Jaime, "It would appear that we shall have guests. A governor of this Queen Hou-Ting comes to treat with us."

Jaime smirked as he read the letter, "Oh look, Tyrion. They've got ships that sail on the air itself. Perhaps you might be right about grumpkins and snarks?"

Tyrion scowled at his brother, "Now you're just messing with me." He muttered, "What fool believes a ship can fly?"

Tywin shrugged in reply, "No matter. We will see soon enough." He replied before stroking his chin in thought, "We should determine who would meet with the emissary."

Jaime stepped forward, "I'd be more than enou-"

"No." Tywin cut him off, "Though you are of high birth, these individuals may be skilled warriors or assassins. It could be a ploy to strike at you or I as leaders of the Westerlands. We will need someone more…" Tywin trailed off as his eyes fell upon Tyrion, "…diplomatic."

The dwarf rolled his eyes, "Expendable you mean." He grumbled, "You mean to have me serve as your envoy?"

A rare smile came from the Old Lion, "Indeed. You have far surpassed my expectations in winning over the Vale's mountain savages. With such an achievement under your belt, the simplest fool could see that you are most ideal for determining if this Earth Kingdom has any ill intent toward our family."

Tyrion did not look amused, "By taking the first dagger in the back." Came the Imp's terse reply.

Tywin feigned offense, "My son, you wound me. I try my best to put you in positions of honor and at every turn you spite me, will you do this thing or not?"

The dwarf sighed, there was only one thing he could reply with when faced with one of his father's demands, "Yes, Father."

* * *

 _ **Author's Notes:**_ _The initial two chapters are the most difficult for me on the basis that the tone is so similar to Hear Me Roar; however, I decided to power through my reservations and work through the difficulties as the third chapter onward will start to take on life of its own. On the whole though? Tywin so far is the most fun to write for. If people are curious, I don't plan to grant Jaime_ Brightroar _as I want to separate this story from Willy's story. That said, the world of Avatar has a great many other things that will provide the Westerlands with a greater boon than Valyrian Steel. It just needs time._

 _When most people refer to the Avatar, it's usually in a tone of reverence, the same could be said of the Father or the Mother in the Faith of the Seven. Oathbreaking is a heinous act in Westeros; however, Tywin's rationale is that they are no longer in Westeros and no longer bound to the Iron Throne and while he might not be familiar with the lands beyond the Westerlands, he_ will _have his son back if he can help it._


	3. Updates and Revisions

**Updates and Revisions**

Unfortunately to all who've enjoyed "A Coat of Gold" thus far, I must bring ill news. I am going to have to take a step back and revise the setting a bit. One of the reviewers pointed out, quite realistically, that the Westerlands are hopelessly outmatched in terms of military matters. Agriculture may be a good bargaining tool, but I don't see Tywin being able to bring the Westerlands up to snuff by the time Korra escapes the White Lotus compound. Even if Tywin pursued rapid industrialization in the make of the Soviet Union's Five Year Plans, it wouldn't make the Westerlands any stronger. Not in the process of a few months.

But, I would think that a process of 19 years (from 151 AG to 170 AG) would give the Westerlands a reasonable time frame for Tywin to pursue such an ambitious endeavor. Of course, that also means that the Westerlands need to also be younger as well. Ideally, the timeframe would be for the Westerlands to be sitting on their hands during Robert's Rebellion (between 282 AC – 283 AC, if you follow the books or 280 AL – 281 AL, if you prefer the show). Given the timeframe, I would think that it would give Tywin Lannister a chance to bring the Westerlands up to snuff as far as a political power. It would also help solve a number of issues such as literacy and education. I'll need to plan out a bit more, but hopefully I can bring this story up to an interesting point without it being utterly implausible for the Westerlands to have develop into a moderately powerful, independent nation.


End file.
